Chapter 18:
They walked deeper into the Wilds and Sylina began to get nervous the farther they traveled. Finally, they reached a small hut with an old woman sitting outside it. The woman stood up as they approached and Morrigan began speaking to her. "Hello Mother, here are four Grey Wardens who..."
"I have eyes girl. I can see them." She examined them, her eyes roving over them. Finally, she stopped at Sylina. "Much as I expected," she said.
"We are supposed to believe you were expecting us?" Alistair said, amused.
The old woman fixed him with a stare. "You are required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide...either way one's a fool!" She laughed.
"She's a witch. We shouldn't be talking to her. We should leave," Daveth whispered, fidgeting in the back.
"Shut up. If she's a witch, we don't want to make her mad," Ser Jory whispered back and for once, Sylina agreed with him.
"Well there is a smart lad," the old woman said, motioning to Ser Jory. "Largely irrelevant to the greater scheme, but I do not decide." She approached Sylina. "Tell me, does your woman's mind give you a different viewpoint? Or do you believe as these boys do?"
Sylina shook her head - why was it that the witches wanted her opinion? "You are a witch, I can feel that," she said. "But that is all I know."
"Accepting your limitation is possessing knowledge," the old woman told her. She took another step toward her. "There is so much about you that is uncertain. Yet I believe. Do I? Well it seems I do."
"So this is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds?" Alistair said, suppressing a grin.
"Bah! Witch of the Wilds. Has Morrigan been filling your heads with fancy tales? She has such a vivid imagination. Oh, how she dances under the moon." The old woman laughed and Sylina saw Morrigan put her hand on her head.
"Mother, they did not come to listen to your tales."
"Yes, they came for their treaties. And before you begin barking, I kept them safe when your seal wore off long ago." The old woman procured the treaties from her pocket and handed them to Alistair.
"Y-you kept them safe? Oh, um, thank you," Alistair said, taking the treaties gingerly in his hands.
"Of course I did. Take them back to the Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realize! But do not mind me. You have what you came for."
"Now you can go," Morrigan said.
The old woman scoffed. "You are being ridiculous girl. They are your guests. Show them out."
Morrigan looked at her mother. "Fine, this way." She walked away from the hut. Sylina and the three men followed her. As Sylina looked back, she saw the old woman grinning at their retreating backs. As they were heading out of the Wilds Sylina suddenly shouted, "Oh look!" and hurried over to a log.
"'Tis a flower. Now let's keep moving," Morrigan said briskly, continuing to walk. Alistair walked up to where Sylina was and saw the flower in question. It was white with a red center.
"That's the flower the Kennel-Master was asking about," Alistair said. Sylina picked it and slipped it inside her robes. She smiled up at him and nodded. They hurried along to catch up to Morrigan.
When they got back to camp, Sylina hurried over to the Kennel-Master and gave him the flower. He thanked her profusely and she smiled and walked back to Duncan. When she arrived, Duncan nodded. "Good, you are all back. We can proceed with the Joining immediately." Sylina felt suddenly nervous. She looked at Alistair, but he did not meet her eyes. "Alistair, take them to the old temple," Duncan said.
As they walked across camp, Daveth walked next to her, "How dangerous is this ritual?"
"I do not know," she whispered back.
When they reached the temple, Ser Jory started to twitch. "I do not like this, all the secrets, the tests. Have I not earned my place as a Grey Warden? And why is this Joining such a secret? Is it dangerous? Will it kill us?"
Duncan walked in holding a chalice. "I will not lie to you," he said, looking at Ser Jory. "There is a heavy price to becoming a Grey Warden. Fate may decide that you pay that price now rather than later."
Sylina bit her lip and looked at Alistair. He met her eyes and she saw worry in them. He looked away to Duncan. Her breath started to come in fast.
"The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint." Duncan advanced, holding the chalice out. Sylina almost thought she could smell the darkspawn blood. Her eyes were wide and her mouth opened.
Ser Jory took a step back. "You want us to drink the blood of...of those monsters?"
"This is the source of our power and our victory," Duncan said firmly, motioning with the chalice.
Alistair spoke and Sylina turned to him. She was finding it hard to think. "Once you drink the blood, those who survive will be immune to its taint. We use that to sense the darkspawn and kill the archdemon." Alistair turned to look at her and her breath hitched. His eyes were sad. She looked away. Those who survive.
"Those who survive?" Daveth asked, looking at Duncan.
Duncan nodded. "Some who drink the blood do not survive. Those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. This is the price we pay." Duncan nodded to Alistair. "Let us begin."
Alistair looked at the three recruits and sighed. His eyes rested on Sylina as he started speaking the words of the Joining. "Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you."
Sylina looked at Alistair, watched as his emotions played across his face: fear, sadness, regret. She couldn't tear her eyes away until she heard Duncan say, "Daveth step forward." She looked over as Daveth put the chalice to his lips. One second the liquid was going down his throat and the next he was writhing on the ground. Duncan bent down and Sylina saw the last breath escape Daveth's lips.
Ser Jory was backing away. "Maker help us," Ser Jory said. "You are mad! I will not do this." Sylina went to step forward, but Alistair put out his hand, stopping her. Suddenly, Ser Jory's blade was in his hand. "This is not honorable," he said.
"There is no turning back. The Joining is not yet complete," Duncan said, his hand going to the blade at his side. Suddenly, Ser Jory lunged at him. Sylina tried to put her hands up to cast a spell, but Alistair grabbed them. She saw Duncan grab his sword and dodge Ser Jory's first attack. With a quick stab, Ser Jory went down and Duncan slid his blade across his throat.
Sylina's heart was racing. Duncan had just killed Ser Jory! She had been wanting to stun him, to freeze him even, something to stop this. But now he was dead. Her eyes went to Daveth, lying dead on the ground. They were both dead. She gulped as Duncan came toward her. She wanted to back away, to run, but her feet were rooted to the spot.
"You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good," Duncan said, handing her the chalice. She stared at it and with shaking hands she took it. Looking down into the blood, she saw it swirling menacingly. She took a deep breath and put it to her lips.
Alistair watched as Sylina took a drink. Duncan took the chalice from her and her hands went to her head. Her body was shaking and her knees buckled. Before she could hit the ground, Alistair caught her. Her body was writhing slightly and he gently lowered her to the ground, his arms holding her. She was breathing fast and her eyes looked up at the sky, white as snow. He sent a prayer to the Maker that she would make it.
He held her for what felt an eternity before her eyes closed. He looked up at Duncan who knelt down beside him. He nodded. "She has made it." Alistair breathed for the first time since she had taken the sip. He looked down at her and, when he looked up again, Duncan was examining him with critical eyes. "Alistair," he warned.
"W-what?" Alistair blushed and his eyes found their way to the now sleeping mage. Duncan sighed.
"Take her to her tent. She will sleep for a little while. When she wakes come find me." Duncan got up and strode toward camp.
Alistair watched him leave and felt a little helpless. He knew what Duncan's warning had been about. He knew that Duncan would talk to him about it later, but as he watched Sylina's breathing go back to normal, he couldn't suppress a smile. He lifted her easily enough and walked her back to her tent. He was glad one of them had made it through the Joining, and if he was honest with himself, he would say he was happiest it was her. He looked down at her face. She looked so peaceful, as if the most traumatic event of her life had not just happened.
When he reached her tent her lowered her onto her bedroll and, for a moment, just watched her sleep. He was about to leave when he thought about Duncan's last request. To let him know when she had awoken. Well surely if he sat in her tent for a bit he would see when she started to stir and he could leave. He smiled to himself, thinking this was the greatest plan ever.
He didn't know how long he sat there, yawning, before he lay next to her. He figured he would close his eyes, for a moment, and when he felt her stir he would leave. Next thing he knew he heard a gasp.
"Alistair!"
His eyes flung open and when he saw a hand in front of his eyes he grabbed it. He rolled pinning the unknown monster under him before he heard a squeal. Alistair blinked.
"Flaming Andraste! Sylina I am so sorry!" Alistair jumped up off of her and hit the wall of the tent. The poles holding it snapped the fabric fell around them. He sat there as the fabric shrouded him. He heard laughing from somewhere off and felt his face go crimson. Then something bumped into him as it tried to get out of the ruined tent.
"Oh ow." The head bumped into his chest and he looked down. Sylina had been moving around the now fallen tent and looked up at him blinking. "Alistair," she said, her eyes round. "Wha-what happened? Where are we?" She put her hand on his chest to steady herself and looked around. "Is this my tent?" she asked, looking back at him. Alistair was finding it difficult to breathe. She was very close to him, with the remains of the tent ensnaring them. His heart was beating rapidly and all he could do was stare at her. She blinked at him and snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Alistair? Are you okay?" She sighed, putting her hand out and conjuring up a small blue flame.
"Sylina! Wh-what are you doing!" He put his hand up thinking she would light the entire tent with them in it on fire. Instead she sliced a hole in the fabric and crawled out. He looked at the singed edges and then at her. The fabric was still sitting on his head.
Sylina got up from the ground and brushed her robe off then looked back at him. She laughed. Her hands went to her knees as she giggled and gasped for breath. He just stared at her until she finally wiped the tears from her eyes. "You...haha…Alistair, you look ridiculous. Get out of that tent!" she said.
He shook his head and crawled out of the tent. When he had finally escaped its clutches he looked at the pile of fabric that used to be Sylina's tent. Sylina walked up beside him. He glanced at her and her face was suddenly serious. "I-I can't believe what happened." She looked down at her hands and then buried her head in them. Alistair reached out and touched her shoulder. "Ser Jory...and Daveth...they died," he heard her whimper.
"In my Joining only one of us died," Alistair said, squeezing her shoulder, "but it was...horrible. I-I am glad that you at least made it." Sylina looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile. He saw the unshed tears in her eyes. "Did you have dreams?" Sylina nodded slowly looking at the ground. "I had terrible dreams after my first Joining. Duncan says it is another part of being a Grey Warden."
"A-another part?" she mumbled.
Alistair squeezed her shoulder again. "There will be time for that later. Duncan wanted to see you when you awoke." Sylina just stared at the ground so Alistair found himself leading her to where he knew Duncan would be.